Objetivo The objectives are: to identify the biotic and abiotic matrices in terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems in which the transformation of inorganic mercury to methylmercury and of methylmercury to other mercury species occur; to quantify these chemical, physical, and biological transformation processes; to determine the pathways of methylmercury in various ecosystems; and to elaborate environmental quality criteria for methylmercury. In a comparative approach, methylmercury and other inorganic and organic mercury species will be identified and quantified in key components of typical foodchains of terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems situated in different geographical areas of Europe which are either not exposed (background) or are exposed to atmospheric, industrial and/or natural mercury sources. Air, rain, surface water, sediments and biota from the Swedish lake area, industrial and remote sites in Germany, North Sea coast, Elbe and Weser estuaries, La Spezia area, the Gulf of Genoa and the Mount Amiata region will be compared to evaluate the relative importance of methylmercury pollution. In an experimental approach, information from the comparative approach will be used to investigate methylation and demethylation processes of mercury in 2 and higher compartment systems, applying in laboratory and in situ experiments stable isotope (mercury-199) and radioisotope (mercury-197 and mercury-203) techniques. These experiments also intend to differentiate between biotic and abiotic methylation processes under natural conditions. Improvement of the sensitivity of existing analytical techniques for the determination of inorganic mercury and methylmercury in environmental matrices at ultra low concentrations (picogram level) will be attempted. In a simulation approach the data generated in the comparative and experimental approaches will be used as inputs to conceptual and mathematical models to predict the distribution and fluxes of inorganic mercury and methylmercury in typical food chains, with particular emphasis on the fate of atmospheric mercury loads. The modelling results will lay the basis for recommending environmental quality criteria for methylmercury. Ámbito científico natural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistrytransition metalsnatural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesenvironmental sciencespollutionnatural sciencesbiological sciencesecologyecosystemsnatural sciencesmathematicsapplied mathematicsmathematical model Programa(s) FP2-STEP - Two specific research and technological development programmes (EEC) in the field of the environment STEP/EPOCH - STEP -, 1989-1992 Tema(s) Data not available Convocatoria de propuestas Data not available Régimen de financiación CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinador Ente per le Nuove Tecnologie l'Energia e l'Ambiente (ENEA) Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección Pozzuolo di Lerici 19100 La Spezia Italia Ver en el mapa Coste total Sin datos Participantes (4) Ordenar alfabéticamente Ordenar por aportación de la UE Ampliar todo Contraer todo FORSCHUNGSZENTRUM JUELICH GMBH Alemania Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección WILHELM JOHNEN STRASSE 52425 JUELICH Ver en el mapa Enlaces Sitio web Opens in new window Coste total Sin datos SWEDISH ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE LTD-IVL SVENSKA MILJOININSTITUTET AB Suecia Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección 43,VALHALLAVAGEN 81 11427 STOCKHOLM Ver en el mapa Coste total Sin datos Università degli Studi di Genova Italia Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección Via Brigata Salerno Ponte 16147 Genova Ver en el mapa Coste total Sin datos Università degli Studi di Siena Italia Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección Via P. A. Mattioli 4 53100 Siena Ver en el mapa Coste total Sin datos
